Modular Catalytic Partial Oxidation Reactors Using Microstructured Catalyst Structures with Combined High Thermal Conductivity and Flame Extinction Capacity to Enhance Process Safety Margins and Enable High Per Pass Conversion and High Selectivity
Executive Summary
Technical Challenge
• Demonstrate reactant and product stability toward microfibrous materials of construction.
• Demonstrate catalyst entrapment capabilities to provide high volumetric reaction rates
• Demonstrate high intrabed thermal conductivities and lower intrabed temperature gradients to maintain or enhance EO selectivity
• Eliminate the use of inert thermal sinks and buffers in the feed stream
• Enhance safe operating regimes in the current operating window resulting from the flame extinction capacity of the structure
• Examine the opportunity to move to larger diameter reactor tubes while enhancing volumetric reactivity and desired selectivity
• Determine simple methodologies to pack and turnaround MFEC-EO reactors
Potential Impact
• Reduce or eliminate the level of inerts in the feed stream to reduce the amount of product recycle
• Reduce CAPEX & OPEX
• Improve or maintain EO selectivity
• Modular capabilities
• Project Team Resources & Capabilities